Lyrics of the Heart
by RikaHatake
Summary: So ever popular Uchiha Sasuke, the Senior class President and leader of his band, falls head over heels for the blonde sex god, Uzumaki Naruto. Will the raven really find love or will his cold nature get the best of him to get in his way?
1. The Good and The Bad

**Hey everyone, it's Rika!**

**Since I was close to being done with my other story, "Secrets of the Broken", I figured that now I could take the time to start typing up this story. Thanks for all of the ones who took the time to review I really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: If you want it...go to my author page. It's there in** bold**, _italics_, and underline.**

**There. Said and done let's get on with the new story!**

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Uchiha Sasuke was a seventeen year old senior who attended Hidden Leaf High. He was one among many who were gladly waiting the next four months of school to pass by before High School Graduation. But sadly, time was passing not quickly but slowly. Sasuke sat in his last four classroom, sitting on the window sill watching his fellow students make and throw snowballs before they ran to the cover of their warms cars.

He leaned back, his school uniform rustling gently as he shifted a little from the uncomfortable change in temp with his warm back connecting with the cold concrete of the school walls. His dark hair fell around and framed his pale face. His onyx eyes looked wishfully to the sky as he avoided the waves and hollers of his fangirls down below. Along with the hardships of being the hottest guys in the entire school, and an excellent student he also had one other duty. This duty being the one main reason he wasn't in his car driving home himself. He was—

"President…"

Sasuke's gaze switched from watching the snow silently floating down to the ground, to the older male whose body framed the doorway,

"Yes, Shino?"

Shino's cheeks were slightly flushed and the transversal lenses on his glasses were a blackish color, indicating that the male had just arrived from outside. A scarf wrapped around his neck was tugged down a little to show some more of his face as he walked over to the Uchiha on the ledge,

"The meeting is about to start…Shall we?"

Sasuke sighed and he nodded, "Yes."

—the president of the School's Student Council. Being in the election and winning in his freshman year was a complete and utter surprise to him. Why?

Sasuke had never put his name into the box for representatives.

Nor had the mere _thought_ of running for Student Council even cross his mind. All he wanted was to hand out with his best friends and pass his classes. He was nominated by the entire school (save for his friends who respected his wishes) but the absolute final say…was to be by the former president of the Student Council. The former president had approved and Sasuke had been 'in-charge' ever since. His first year was pretty boring—he didn't know anyone older in the Student council so it was awkward at times. The older council members realized this, and so sought a way to use the unknowing Uchiha.

Luckily another first year student, Shino Aburame, had also been elected as a Student Council member. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, the vice-president. He had steered Sasuke away from their influence and had helped him. And the next year Uchiha's closest friends had been chosen as well to be Student Council Representatives. The raven slid off the window sill, grabbed his backpack off of the table and followed Aburame out the door. It took the both of them five minutes to travel from one end of the school to the other. They both entered the Student Council room, annoyed that the silence immediately set in, just like it did every Wednesday. Sasuke took his place at the end of the five foot long oak table while Shino sat to his right and the Treasurer sat to his left.

The treasurer leaned over, "You looked a little tired there, Sasu."

Sasuke let his frame relax and he sighed again, "I just want to get this done and over with. I want to go home, Shika."

By using the shortened versions of their names, 'Sasu' for Sasuke and 'Shika' for Shikamaru, one could easily assume that the Uchiha and his friend were _very_ close.

"I know how you feel…" Shika leaned back, "It's a drag and so troublesome…"

Sasuke addressed the secretary that sat to the left of Shikamaru, "What's the topic or topics for today?"

The short, blonde-haired boy that was in the council opened the three-ring binder in front of him, "There are two matters that have been proven to be the most important for this week. One: There are two new students to be starting on Monday. And two: the boys and girls basketball teams are complaining about gym times for practice."

The president let his fingers drum against the top of the table, "Alright. We'll start with the basketball teams…Hyuuga? Any ideas?"

A tall, handsome brunette sat to the right of Shino. His eyes were closed and when he opened them, pupil-less eyes with a light purple tint to them, looked directly across the table to the secretary, "What about their practices is causing their distress?"

"The boy's basketball team is taking three hours after school instead of the original hour and a half they booked the gym for. The girls are too tired in the morning to focus on their school work because of their late night practices."

Hyuuga thought for a moment, "Let the g-"

"Wait I've got it. Boy's practices can still be after school—sorry Neji—but their practices can be an hour and a half. No more. Tell the girls they can either have their practices after that or they will be able to have them in the morning." Sasuke decided. He wanted out of this boring place.

It was quiet again before Shino spoke, "If the girls choose the later, and decide on the morning practices….who will be here at five in the morning to let them in?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I will."

"But president…I have to disagree with you. You already do too much." The secretary said.

"Are you volunteering Mino-chan?" Shikamaru asked the boy next to him.

He instantly bowed his head, "N-no sir."

"Alright then." Nara nodded, "What's next?"

"Uzumaki-kun and Sabaku-kun." Karomi, another black haired council member said, "Two, somehow related, trouble makers. Uzumaki-kun is a blonde, with blue eyes? And Sabaku-kun is a pale redhead with the kanji for something in red over his left eye. At least I think so unless I've somehow managed to switch it around."

Everyone blinked.

"How's you know that?! Only I've got the information on those two so far!" The secretary yelled.

"Is he right?" Shino asked.

Shikamaru took the filed from the stunned boy, "Yup."

"Karomi-kun, stop looking out the window and pay attention," Neji ordered, "How did you know that?"

Karomi pointed out the window, "'Cause they're right there."

All ten members went to stand and look out the three windows there were on the south side of the room. The Student Council room overlooked the south side of the parking lot. There stood a blonde and a redhead, back to back, standing in the middle of a circle of twelve kids.

"Zaku and Dosu." Aburame obviously pointed out.

Zaku and Dosu were twins and have been the school bullies in all four years of high school. Their brother was the bully before them and passed down the 'sacred right' at the end of his graduation four years ago. The other eleven kids were only a fraction of their entire group of followers. Including their little sister, Kin. They also controlled one of the cities most dangerous gangs.

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"So…you must be the new kids…" a man with a light brown beanie cap said as he stood next to his twin brother.

"Uzumaki and Sabaku right?" the brother next to the one who just spoke before had shaggy, blue dyed hair that contrasted with his pale skin, "Who's who?"

Neither the blonde or redhead answered.

"Hey!" an anorexic female with long hair took a threatening step forward, "He asked you a question."

Still, the two in the middle were silent.

She glared and stepped forward more. The redhead being the closest, she raised her fist, "This'll teach y-"

The blonde moved in between them in a blink of an eye and had caught her fist in his warm, tan hand, _"Don't touch him."_ He glared darkly and hissed at her.

She stuttered at the instant coldness of his body language, "L-let go freak!" she tried to take back her arm and fell back with a yelp when the blonde let her go and she fell in the snow on her butt.

"Kin!" the male with the beanie cap called to her.

"Don't worry Dosu. I'm fine." She stood back up, "But we can teach them a small lesson on who's the top dog in this town can't we? Please Zaku?" she asked.

The boy with the blue dyed hair slightly nodded, "Sure. Let 'em have it."

Eight bodies smirked as they closed in their circle on the duo. A couple cracked their knuckles, others pounded their fists against their hands and some made fake punches toward them. The blonde went back to back with the redhead once again, bracing for a full out attack. He didn't plan on going down here in this fight at all. After all, they'd both been in worse situations than this.

The first thug charged, his fist pulled back, _'This isn't even __**worth**__ it…'_ the blonde thought to himself, knowing the redhead was thinking it as well, as he flipped the first male over his head and down into the snow covered concrete on his back. While he was leaning over the guy he had just carelessly tossed on the ground, another thug popped up and jumped up on his back, "Get…off!" he tried to shake him off but with the other male's arms around his neck, choking him, he couldn't get a firm grip to throw him off. Then the weight of the male on his back disappeared, the arms around his throat slacking. The blonde took a quick glance back behind him. The redhead had the guy in a headlock, "Thanks."

He nodded as he dropped the mildly suffocation male and landed a punch in the stomach of the next thug. He reached for the next attacker but stopped when an annoyed voice rang out,

"Alright, stop it!"

The blonde looked to his left, another thug still in his arms in a headlock, only to set his eyes on the most _beautiful_ man he had ever seen in his life. Almost equal in height, his dark black hair was spiked in the back as his bangs fell and framed his pale face. Dressed formally in his school uniform, the blonde assumed by the small but fancy crest on the collar of the raven's shirt, he was in the presence of Hidden Leaf High's Student Council President. As the raven spoke his black onyx eyes were completely unemotional and looked almost _bored_,

"Zaku…it's after school hours. Why are you still here?" his voice sounded like that this incident had happened not only this time but countless times before.

"Uchiha Sasuke…" Zaku said and mockingly bowed, "What brings you to the south side, Mr. President?"

Sasuke sighed, a heavenly sound to the blonde's ears, "We've been through this before…Go. Home."

"Public Property. We ain't going _nowhere!!_" kin spat.

"I'd advise you to be more careful Kin-chan…" a man with sunglasses who was standing next to Uchiha, spoke calmly to the girl, "We do not want anything bad to happen…"

She sneered back at him, "Quiet Aburame. I d-"

"Kin…would you shut the hell up? I'm sick of hearing you whine all the time…" a brown haired boy walked up and stood on the other side of Sasuke shaking his head, "Troublesome."

Zaku just growled and rolled his eyes, "Aww…you're no fun Uchiha." He walked away with the rest of his group following behind. Dosu struck up a random conversation and Kin pouted as she trailed behind her brothers.

The blonde blinked in confusion. They left? Just because some kids in their school uniforms told them too?! How ridiculously _lame_ what that. He was about to burst out laughing until he saw something fall out of the corner of his eye, "Gaara?" he crouched next to the kneeling redhead, "What's wrong? Did they hit you?"

Gaara looked at the blonde with one eye, as the other was shut in pain, "Hn." He huffed out, "Don't worry…about it."

"Don't…worry…about it?" Naruto blinked again at him, "Are you fucking _crazy?!_ Grandma's going to kick my _ass_ if she finds out I let you get a lick from some bozo in tights!"

'_Nice choice in words…'_ Shikamaru rolled his eyes, _'What a drag…a couple of idiots…' _he felt an elbow in his side and he looked to Sasuke and gave him a 'What?' look.

"Sabaku-kun…" Shino stepped towards them a little, "Please allow us to h-"

"Fuck off." Gaara sneered, "I don't need 'help' from a bunch of idiots in dry-clean only suits…' he clumsily stood up, holding his right side, "Just forget it."

'_Way to start fresh…'_ Shikamaru wanted to blurt it out but another elbow in his side made him glare at the Uchiha, _'I hate it when you do that!'_ he silently hissed at the raven.

The blonde rolled his eyes as, he too, stood. But he had to catch his friend when he stumbled forward, "What's wrong with you? We've gone through _hundreds_ of fights without you losing your balance…" He watched as the redhead took his hand away from his side to look at it, "You dumbass! You're bleeding!"

Gaara couldn't focus well at all. His side throbbed and he was starting to get light headed. He knew he was leaning too much on his friend and he didn't want to. But when he tried to pull away he fell to the cold concrete of the parking lot. The last thing he remembered before the darkness over took his was a pair of crystal clear blue eyes starring at him, full of concern, "N-Naruto…."

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"Great…" Naruto almost collapsed under the extra weight of the redhead's limp body. He readjusted his grip, "Just great! You're going to get me into some serious crap Sabaku." He grunted as he maneuvered the unconscious boy on his back in a piggy-back style.

"Uzumaki-kun?" the man with the dark glasses asked.

"Hm?" the blonde finally looked their way again after positioning Gaara safely on his back, "Oh sorry," he held out his hand, "Uzumaki Naruto. This is Sabaku Gaara." Nodding to the redhead on his back.

The male with his glasses shook his hand before introducing himself and the others around him, "I'm Aburame Shino. Nara, Shikamaru is the one with the ponytail and the other is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Well…we'll be going." Naruto gave a slight jump to put Gaara higher on his back. He smiled just before he left, "Guess you already know we start on Monday. See you later!"

As the blue-eyed blonde walked away, the raven silently watched, _'A fake smile? What does he have to hide?'_ he was captivated by the beauty of the tan male. Sasuke was awed by the bronze god. His golden hair helped his sapphire eyes stand out and he was impressed by the sheer strength the blonde hid underneath his clothes. How Sasuke wished he could rip off that shirt and run his smooth hands across his tan chest. He was shaking with excitement at the very thought. The Uchiha wondered how good it would feel to be cradled by tan arms late in the night while they-

"Sasuke!"

The raven snapped out of his daydream as someone grabbed his hand and tugged him from the parking lot back towards the school, "Wh-? He looked at the person who pulled him, "Shika?"

Shikamaru let out a sigh, "Oh man…you were scaring me for a second there. What were you do-Nevermind. Let's go inside. You're turning colors." The ponytailed kid kept Sasuke's hand firmly in his as they walked back into the school.

Sasuke obediently followed but still argued on the way back upstairs to the Student Council room, "Shika…I was just thinking. C'mon let go, the teachers are starring!"

Indeed, for each teacher that was lining the hallway, Shikamaru and Sasuke received either looks on 'young love', 'boys will be boys' or 'That's no surprise…'. It kind of made Sasuke a little…well, self conscious of himself and the brunette.

"Who cares." Nara stopped at the door, opened it, and prompted Sasuke through before him, "Grab your stuff and we'll go."

Shino followed in shortly after them, "President."

Sasuke looked at the clock, "It's almost five, Shino. You can stop with the formalities now." He strapped his backpack on and stood next to Shikamaru who was grabbing his things as well, "What is it?"

"Uzumaki, Naruto…"

"What about him?"

"I think that I can safely assume…" he continued, "…that he would be an excellent bodyguard—"

Shikamaru's form turned quickly to face Shino. He stepped with lightning quick steps to stand between the Uchiha and Aburame boys, "_No."_

Shino blinked, "Why not? By the way he carried Sabaku-kun away…I think he's perfect for the job."

"No." Nara repeated, "I don't know the blonde well enough to keep Sasuke safe…"

Sasuke went stiff behind his friend. The only time Shikamaru ever used his full name was when he was mad or trying to force his point into some one else,_ 'Shikamaru?'_

"…and I haven't received any information myself about the reason of his transfer. Absolutely _not._"

Aburame sighed, "I'm only thing about _Sasuke_ and his trouble with the fang-"

"Shino!" Shikamaru hissed, "I've denied your request. There is nothing else to disc-"

"Shika…" Sasuke gently wrapped his hands around the older male's right arm, "Please, stop yelling." He moved his body closer to Nara's and placed his head between Shika's shoulder blades, "Let's not talk about this right now…all I want to do is go home…"

Nara glared at Shino, who avoided his gaze, and softly replied, "Alright, Sasu. We can go." Together they walked to the door. As Shikamaru passed Shino, he heard him whisper,

"We're not done yet Nara."

Shikamaru nodded as Sasuke tugged him out the door.

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**A/N: Ooooh…what's going to happen???**

**Che. Anyway. Sorry. Shino is a little **_**too**_** polite…but there isn't anyone else who can pull off his role like he can!! **

**As for any questions concerning Shika's and Sasu's **_**connection**_** between one another. You'll have to tune into the next chapter to find out what happens with them.**

**Tell me what you think of this one!!**

**And if there are any corrections I need...please be a good sport and help out!**

**Later. **


	2. Tensions and Suspicions

**Yo! How's everyone doing?**

**I actually got what I requested…at **_**least**_** five reviews. And they were encouraging! That makes me extremely happy.**

**Well, that said and done…**

**ON WITH THE FIC! Hahahaha**

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"Grandma?" 

Naruto called as he walked into the house, the unconscious Gaara still sleeping on his back. He walked into the doorway, set the redhead down and took off their shoes and jackets. He then proceeded to pick Gaara back up, but bridal-style this time making it easier on himself, and carried him up to his bedroom. Naruto walked into Gaara's red and brown room, setting the boy on the bed then turning around to look for the old hag,

"Grandma!"

"I'm in the den!"

Naruto ran downstairs and turned the corner into the den where he saw their blonde haired grandmother flipping through books, papers and files.

"What do you want brat?"

"Uh…" Naruto toed the floor, "Gaara's injured…"

His grandmother stopped, "What did you guys get into today?"

"A little 'greeting party' in the school parking lot."

She sighed, "What have I told you? If you want to stop transferring to different schools…learn to get along with oth-"

"We didn't _do_ anything!" the blonde boy whined, "We were just going to talk with the principal!" 

"Naruto." She took of her reading glasses.

"Grandma Tsunade, please!" he asked, "You've gotta believe me!"

"Alright…alright! Just stop with your whi—Gaara?"

Naruto turned around, "What are you doing out of bed?"

Gaara glared, "Be happy. I'm here to back you up."

Tsunade sighed, "You two…are going to be the death of me." She stood up and walked out of the room, "Let's get you fixed up."

Naruto helped Gaara follow her out of the den and into the bathroom where their grandmother cleaned the redhead up and sent him back to bed.

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Sasuke was quiet on the ride home. He sat quietly in the passenger's seat of Shikamaru's green Lamborghini. Don't misunderstand; he was a seventeen year old boy, quite eligible and able to drive himself. It's just that a previous encounter of being followed around twenty-four/seven by fangirls and guys that were jealous of him had spooked the Uchiha a bit. And with Shikamaru, being his best friend and all, went into 'over protective mode'. Ever since Shikamaru had come to this house everyday, or just spent the night, and had taken them both to and from school.

As Nara pulled into the driveway of Uchiha's mansion and parked to let the raven out, Sasuke paused as he moved to open the door, "Nobody's home." he whispered, "You can come in if you want…"

Shikamaru looked at the raven before he obliged and turned off the car. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and followed Sasuke out of the vehicle and into the house. They discarded their shoes at the door and Nara walked behind the raven as he followed him up to his room. It wasn't like this was the first time Shikamaru had been inside Sasuke's house. No…he was here quite a lot actually. He knew this house inside and out. Besides being best friends in high school, they had grown up together…literally.

"I'm going to take a shower." Sasuke said as he grabbed a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt out of his dresser and grabbed the towel of the back of his computer chair. 

Shikamaru didn't say anything as he laid himself across the raven's dark blue covered bed. He lazily snatched the television remote of the bedside nightstand and clicked the power button. He opened the first drawer of the nightstand and took out the black, cordless Playstation 2 controller as well as the remote for the game console. Watching the raven leave out of the corner of his eye he sighed as the pale figure disappeared from the room and down the hallway to the bathroom. He waited as the console loaded slowly…too slowly for his taste, and grabbed the controller with both hands as the screen for Okami came up, _'Damn Sasu and his fetish for wolves…'_

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Sasuke walked back into his room, dressed in the black boxers and t-shirt, with the towel on top of his still slightly wet head. He saw Shikamaru playing his favorite game and wondered why the brunette didn't switch it to his own favorite game, Kingdom Hearts II. Shika was such a die-heart fan for it. The raven remembered the time when the brunette had dragged him for a cosplay. Now _that_ was scary.

"Why are you playing Okami?" Sasuke sat down next to his best friend who was sprawled out.

"Troublesome." He grunted out. The wolf character on the screen back-flipped over the enemy and shot out an attack from behind, effectively destroying it.

The raven laughed, "You should defeat Orochi for me then."

Shikamaru snorted, "Tried. He's a sneaky son of a bi-"

The front door opened and slammed.

"Aniki's home," Sasuke quietly stated even though the both of them already knew. He crawled up to his pillows and dived under, poking his head back up. "Shika?" he asked when the brunette sighed, saving and turning off the Playstation 2 console and the television, putting the remotes back into the nightstand next to the bed. Absentmindedly, Nara tucked Sasuke into his bed and made to leave but the raven's hand caught his wrist. He turned his head to look at the sleepy boy, "You're angry…" Sasuke stated, "at me?"

"No." Shikamaru set down the towel and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking Sasuke's cheek, "It isn't you Sasu. Don't worry about it."

"Stay with me." he tugged on Nara's arm. "Just for a little bit?"

Shikamaru looked at the clock before he turned back to Sasuke and slid back on the bed next to him. The raven snuggled close, putting his head on the other's chest and sighing, "It wouldn't be a bad idea to consider…"

Nara groaned, "Not you too."

"I only have two classes with you Shika…" Sasuke argued. "What if he can fill in those other three?"

"You only want him because you're _attracted_ to him," Shikamaru huffed as the raven gave him a questioning look. "Don't give me that look. I've known you long enough to read your mind. And your body language says it all."

Sasuke pouted, "Fine. I'm a _little_ attracted to him. Nothing too serious."

"It doesn't matter." He pointed out, "What if he does _not_ like you?"

Uchiha became quiet. "I didn't think about that."

"Oh man what a drag…" Nara looked and the ceiling and sighed. "Alright. We can look at their files tomorrow. But to make this clear: _I've_ got the final say. I'm not going to have some walking blonde, _**sex god**_, follow my best friend around only to hurt him."

"Thanks Shika." Sasuke smiled, _'I knew I could count on you…'_

"Yeah, yeah…" he said, _'Troublesome…'_

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**(Friday: After school)**

Sasuke and Shikamaru were walking to their shared locker after the last bell rang to signal the end of school for the week. The raven spun the combination in for the locker, grabbed his things and waited for Nara to get all his stuff. They had just turned to leave when the principal walked around the corner with a blue-eyed blonde haired boy, _'Uzumaki Naruto…'_ Shikamaru growled in his head. Yes, over the past week, he had looked at the files on the boy and decided that once Shikamaru knew him well enough to _know_ the blonde would successfully protect the Uchiha, he'd have to let the raven go.

"Ahh!" the principal said and waved over to the two dark haired boys, "Nara, Uchiha!"

"Principal Shizune." Shikamaru faked a smile, "What a surprise."

She came up and 'introduced' the blonde next to her. "This is—"

"Uzumaki Naruto." The blonde finished for her and held out his hand. _Again_. But not to the principal's knowledge.

Nara shook it, "Shikamaru. And this is Sasuke."

"Uzumaki-sama," Shizune informed him, "Uchiha-san is the President of the Student Council and Nara-san is the Treasurer."

'_Uzumaki-__**sama!**__'_ Nara's mind raced, _'Where did that come from? He's higher than both me and Sasu in rank?'_

"I expect that you two will be on good behavior to N—oh what am I saying?" Shizune corrected herself, "You two _are_ the most well behaved kids in this school…" she left the trio while bickering to herself.

Naruto blinked, "Is she always like that in school?"

"Hn," Sasuke nodded as he eyed the blonde, "You know her out of school or something?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "She works as a part-time assistant at the hospital."

Nara turned and walked down the hallway. Sasuke looked back and forth between the brown haired and blonde males until he nodded for Naruto to follow them, "Let's go somewhere more secure." The brunette muttered.

Naruto was confused. There wasn't anybody _here_ in the school to listen to them. 

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There were in the Student Council Room. Shikamaru closed the door and turned to the two both equally confused males. "I've got a proposition for you, Uzumaki."

"Proposition?" he repeated, "Don't you need to know me a little better before you ask something like that?"

Sasuke blinked, _'He's good.'_

"In most cases…yes." Nara answered, "But in this particular case, no."

Naruto folded his buff, tan arms across his chest. "What do you want?"

"Your show of skills Wednesday afternoon, has interested me—uh, us." He fixed when Sasuke elbowed his side. "You protected Sabaku well."

"He's _important_ to me. I'd do anything for him." His eyes narrowed slightly.

Sasuke was silent; somehow…something _wasn't_ going to go as planned.

"Back to _my_ dilemma…" Shika indicated the raven, "Sasuke has a fan club. A fan club made by most of the girls in this school—"

"I get where you're going…" Naruto interrupted, "I'm supposed to keep tabs on something…or _someone?_ In order to fully gain your trust?"

'_He's __**really **__good…' _Sasuke concluded.

"Yes. You're going to keep an eye on _Sasuke_."

Now this stumped the blonde. "Uchiha? What the h—why him? Can't I keep tabs on something other than a stuck up _prep_?"

Now Nara and Uchiha faltered. _'That…that…DOBE! Who the hell does the think I am! I can't believe I actually had __**feelings **__for this…idiot!' _Sasuke's mind screamed.

"Uzumaki—"

"He'll do it."

The trio looked at the door to see the redhead standing in the doorway. "Gaara?" Naruto asked.

"Sabaku…" Nara acknowledged, "Welcome."

"Cut the crap," He said, "Naruto _will_ be Uchiha's bodyguard."

"What the hell!" Naruto yelled, "I already said n-"

Gaara threw a glare at him. "You'll do it and that's the end of it." He spun around and walked down the hallway.

"Wh—Gaara!" Naruto sprinted passed the two in the room and down the hallway after his friend. "Hold it!" he put his hand on the pale shoulder to bring him to a halt, "When did you have a say in it?"

The redhead gave him a bored look. "Since you can't even see what's in front of your god-like _face_."

"What?" he shook his head to clear his mind, "If you ever pop up like that again I'll tear out your stitches myself! So warn me before you do that!" he flicked his upper arm.

Shikamaru and Sasuke were right behind them. "So Uzumaki? What do you say?"

Naruto turned one eye to them, "How long?"

"Until I feel that Sasuke is clear of harm."

The blonde shrugged, "See you next Monday."

Naruto and the redhead left.

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**(Time Skip: Monday Morning)**

Naruto and Gaara stood at their shared locker and compared classes, "English, Trigonometry, Band…" the blonde started.

"Lunch, Physics and History…" Gaara finished.

"The only classes we have together are Lunch and History?" Naruto exclaimed, "What kind of joke is this?"

Just then Sasuke came up behind the blonde, spooking him, "No joke. Now quit your whining and let's go before we're late."

"Whoa!" Naruto spun around. "It's not nice to creep up on people!"

"Che. Quiet…_dobe._" Sasuke said.

"Wha-?" Naruto glared, "What'd you call me, _teme_?"

A teacher was walking down the hall a paused a second to talk to the raven. "Uchiha-san…you're going to be late to class if you don't hurry."

Sasuke nodded and glared right back at the blonde, "We were just leaving."

"Whatever you say teme…" Naruto rolled his eyes, "See you at lunch, Gaara."

The redhead silently nodded.

They walked their separate ways, Gaara in one direction while Sasuke led Naruto in another. As soon as the duo entered their first class, English, the entire female population forgot about their seats and crowded the doorway. Sasuke froze as they all bombarded him with questions.

"Ah! Sasuke-kun!"

"Will you go out with me!"

Naruto growled before he quickly stepped in between the fan girls and the raven, doing the best he could to block the Uchiha from the girls who thought with their hormones, "Ladies, please. Go and sit back down."

"Oh! He's _cute!"_

"Is he one of _Sasuke-kun's_ friends?"

"I think he's one of those new kids!"

"He's _gorgeous_!"

Naruto sweat dropped. This is going to be a little harder than he thought.

"Will you go out with me sexy blonde kid?"

Scratch that… a _**hell**_ of a lot harder.

Sasuke tugged on the back of his shirt. "The seat's in the corner. Go to the back corner." He whispered into the blonde's ear.

Naruto shifted his head back a little to hear before he nodded and maneuvered them, Sasuke between the wall and his tan body, blocking the raven from the groupies in the classroom. They both had sat down just as the bell had rung and the teacher walked in. Everyone else immediately sat down in their respective seats as the teacher began the lesson.

Sasuke wrote to Naruto on a piece of paper.

_What are your classes next?_

Naruto scribbled back.

_Why do you care?_

Sasuke softly growled.

_You're the bodyguard remember? You're supposed to __**protect**__ me from __**them.**_

Naruto rolled his eyes.

_Oh suck it up, teme. You're not going to get anywhere in life if you don't make it interesting…_

As Sasuke read the response from the blue-eyed angel, he noticed the blonde was flipping through little pieces of folded up paper. He watched as Naruto unfolded one that was constructed into a heart and glanced at the words as the blonde read them too.

_I would like to meet you after school…_

_Love, Mina Hitomi_

Other notes gave numbers.

_Call me cutie! 802-648-5007_

And Sasuke felt his eye twitch as he saw the last note. A picture of a naked girl and her number. Gross. He turned his attention to the blonde who was smirking and laughing to himself. Naruto shook his head as he folded up the 'love letters' addressed to him and slipped them in his pocket. Naruto's gaze went to Sasuke's who just rolled his eyes and huffed it off. The blonde smirked and grabbed the piece of paper that served as a note between the two of them.

_Jealous much?  
_

Sasuke's eyes bugged.

_In your dreams, dobe._

Naruto frowned.

_Don't call me that teme!_

It was Sasuke's turn to smirk as the bell rang for second period. They gathered their books. Naruto followed the raven into the hallway and back to his locker. Shikamaru waiting with his locker open for him. "Where to next?" the blonde asked.

"Trigonometry." Sasuke replied as he grabbed his books and binder. He shut the locker and exchanged a few words with Nara before they separated again. He started to walk away and inwardly smiled when Naruto instantly appeared next to him, determined not to be lost. They walked into their next classroom, only to repeat the same process as first hour, and sat in the back again, awaiting the time where they could have a little time to themselves.

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**(Monday: Third hour)**

Naruto and Sasuke were the last ones to leave the classroom after the bell rang for third period. Just one more class until he was able to see Gaara again. And he couldn't wait to see how many people the redhead had already ticked off. The raven still stayed with the blonde as he put his things into his locker then Naruto followed after him so he could put his things away. The blonde was surprised when he saw Shikamaru and Shino waiting for the raven.

"Where's the beer and all the girls?" Naruto mumbled more to himself.

"They called in sick today." Nara snapped back.

"Hey," the blonde put up his hands, "I was just kidding."

"Do not mind him Uzumaki-kun," Shino said, "he's a little cranky this morning."

'_Can't imagine why…'_ Naruto rolled his eyes. As he followed the trio in front of him, around every other corner until they came to the band room. He noticed that there was a particular seating order as he saw kids with the same instrument grouped in different places. He leaned over to the raven, "What am I supposed to do?"

The raven smirked, "You can sit back and watch."

"Very funny," the blonde congratulated him, "But really."

"You can stay with us if you want." He shrugged.

Naruto agreed deciding it would be the best idea….at least until he knew some other people. He followed the trio to the back of the group and noticed that there was an electric keyboard—which Shino occupied—a green bass guitar—which Shikamaru grabbed a hold of—,and a dark blue electric guitar—which the raven took and slung it around his shoulders. _'Teme plays the guitar!'_ Naruto's mind analyzed it. What a coincidence, _'Now all they need is a drummer…' _And to his surprise, there _was_ a real drum set in the back behind the trio, but it was dusty like no one had used it for a while.

The bell rang and the lingering students sat down in their places. The teacher walked in from the back room and stopped by a little desk to look at some papers before she lifted her head and looked around the room. Her eyes settled right onto Naruto's as she moved to stand on the little square section on the floor that made her seem about five inches taller than she really was. "A new student aye? Care to introduce yourself?"

Naruto blinked and flushed, "Uh…Uzumaki, Naruto."

"And what do you play Uzumaki, Naruto?" she asked.

"Guitar and the drums." He said quietly, "And piano."

The teacher's eyes lit up. "Drums? Sorry, we already have a couple guitarist."

Naruto nodded his head and looked away.

"What kind of songs do you play to?"

He really hated it that she was asking him all these questions, _in front of the __**entire**__ class!_ It was really pissing him off, making him look like he was copying the Uchiha and his band of followers, "Anything…mostly Alternative things though."

The teacher clasped her hands together. "Excellent. You will be a fine addition to our 'rock' band. I'll see you after class." And with that, she picked up her whistle and blew into it. "Five!" she called referring to the binders in front of each pair, "And let's make it good!" 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uzumaki-sama." The teacher called to him after the bell rang, "Come here please."

He avoided all the glares from the other students as he walked towards the front of the class. He heard all of the other students pack up and file out the door. And he was pretty sure that Uchiha and his buddies, being bastards, left him there to fend for himself as he looked for the lunch room. "Yes?"

"How would you like to participate in the NTBC?" she asked once they were alone.

Naruto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, "_The National Teen Band Competition?_"

"Yes."

"Oh man…that would be awesome." He had to actually sit down from the shock.

She smiled, "I need to know if you're willing to take part in practices from 3 to 5 every night, except Mondays, and I'll need your absolute _commitment_ to this team."

"Sure, you got it." His eyes traveled back to the dusty drum set, "But that-"

"We had a drummer," she explained, "But unfortunately he got caught in a shooting downtown. He was shot in the leg and injured in several other places as well. So he was forced to quit the band."

"Is the drum set his?"

She shook her head, "No, the school funded it. For him to use here instead of dragging his own set back and forth between here and his house."

"It's Ludwig. Good brand, but _expensive_." He noted..

"Yes." She went over to a bookcase filled with the binders the band members used. She picked one out and handed it to him. "Start with songs One and Two. Tomorrow after school you can show us what you can do."

"M'kay." He walked out of the room and back towards his locker. It was a good thing that the blonde had a good memory or else he'd get lost in this school. He safely made his way back, and put the binder the music teacher gave him into his backpack so he wouldn't forget it. He shut the locker and took a look around before he headed to the right to look for Gaara.

"Naruto!"

The blonde turned around to see Shizune briskly walking towards him. "Principal?"

"Uzumaki-sama…there is something you need to know…" she started.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Naruto stood on the sidewalk of the school parking lot, backpack strapped to his back, and his foot tapping, annoyed, on the cold concrete. When Principal Shizune had approached him at lunch, she had notified him that Gaara had skipped school after second period…and he had taken the blonde's motorcycle. Naruto's bike was one of his most precious possessions. He had his keys on him all the time and he wondered when the redhead had slipped away with them with enough time to actually make a copy.

Naruto spent a lot of money, time, and effort to make that motorcycle just right. The blonde had originally bought it as a piece of crap just to get him to and from school. But soon he became attached to the piece of scrap metal and decided to make it a hell of a lot better. He had given it a custom paint job _himself_, new tires, and a new engine. 

The blonde heard and watched as a slim figure came tearing down the parking lot, dodging in and out of the cars of other students and came to a halt in front of him. The orange base with black flames made the bike shine with even more beauty. His ticked attitude grew even more as he saw a two inch scratch along the gas tank, "You asshole!" Naruto marched over to him, "You scratched it!"

Gaara turned the bike off and took off the red and black helmet he was wearing, "Just be glad it isn't totaled."

Naruto grabbed the front of his shirt. "What the hell Gaara! You somehow steal my keys to make a copy, steal my bike, _scratch_ my bike…" he noticed the cut at the redhead's temple, "And you got your ass kicked. What the hell is wrong with you!"

By now every student that hadn't left was now quietly staring at the shouting duo it out.

The redhead growled, "Why the fuck do you care?"

"Because you're my family shit-head!" the blonde snapped back, "And I don't know how to make you see that!"

Gaara didn't say anything.

"Gah!" Naruto let go out of frustration, "Get back on the bike. We're leaving."

"Naruto…" Gaara motioned behind him.

The blonde spun around and found almost every student starring at them with widened eyes, "What the—Oi! Stop listening to other people's conversations!" he yelled and had them scattering. 

"Dobe…you're the one who's grabbing their attention." 

Naruto glared at the approaching raven, "Shut it teme."

"Tch." Sasuke examined the scratch, "Easily fixed. Just take-"

"I know how to fix it," he snapped, "It's _my_ bike and _I_ was the one who painted it in the first place!"

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow. "You painted it? Who taught you?"

"None of your god forsaken business." The blonde strapped on his own helmet and started the motorcycle back up, "Get on Gaara." He felt the weight of his friend mount the bike again and settle before he tore out of the parking lot. He didn't care about the speed limit…since he was already going sixty in a forty-five zone. He smirked in triumph when Gaara's pale arms wrapped themselves more securely around his waist. About two hundred meters in front of them was a sharp curve. It wasn't too sharp of a curve but it was a curve nonetheless. The redhead knew Naruto wouldn't be driving this fast unless he could, no doubt, make the turn. But just to be safe…he tightened his hold and scooted a little closer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I know you're mad at me and everything but I'd like to live a few more years…" Sabaku mumbled as the blonde parked and turn off the bike.

Naruto didn't say anything as he dragged the redhead into the house by his wrist. They took off their shoes and Uzumaki made Gaara follow him into the bathroom and sit on the countertop next to the sink. He pulled out the first aid kit and brushed back the hair from the redhead's temple. He cleaned the wound with an alcohol pad and placed a band-aid over it after he put on some Neosporin. Luckily Gaara's hair was just long enough to somewhat hide the bandage on his temple. "Just ask me next time m'kay?" Naruto asked quietly as he place the first-aid kid back into the closet.

"Yeah." He slightly nodded, "Sorry."

"Nah. No worries." The blonde gave him a huge grin, "I've got plenty of extra paint in the garage."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day was just like the first. Naruto still received names, numbers and date requests in class. He still followed the Uchiha around, and then stepped between the hordes and hordes of girls who tried to molest him. At the end of the day he stuffed his things into his locker, grabbed the white music binder and headed back to the band room. "Sensei?"

The band teacher came out form the back room, "Naruto-sama! Were you successful in your practice last night? I mean reading the mu-"

"I've played these songs a million times…I know how to play them," he handed her the binder back, "_All_ of them."

"Really?" She blinked, "The band the others chose, um…whichever was one they idolized the most they told me."

"30 Seconds to Mars, yeah. I like them too." The blonde went over to the drum set and pulled his own sticks out from his back pocket, "You cleaned it?" he asked surprised.

"Well if you're going to use it…yes I did."

"Thanks." He sat down just as more people walked in.

"Dobe?"

"Uzumaki-kun?"

"Naruto? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nara-kun!" the teacher explained, "Watch your language! Please!"

"Sorry, Hejima-sensei." He moved to stand next to the raven as he walked to the drum set.

"Hejima-sensei asked me to play the drums," The blonde said.

"We don't need drums-"

"We do if we plan on playing 'Fallen' and 'Battle of One' for the tryouts." Shino reminded him.

Nara blinked before he sighed and went to his bass as Shino went to his keyboard. Sasuke smirked as he strapped on his dark blue guitar. "Let's see how you do…_dobe."_

"Don't call me that teme!" 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After they had finished practice, Naruto had to stretch. Man did they want everything _perfect._ The teacher was clapping so much as she smiled, "That was absolutely WONDERFUL! Truly Fantastic! Thank you Naruto for being the savior of this band!"

"Sure." The blonde quietly replied as he put his drum sticks back into his back pocket once again. 

"See you tomorrow then!"

"Bye." He walked out the door to find his cousin leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway, arms folded across his chest, "Ready?"

"Uchiha's pitch is too low and Nara's base is too high."

"Yeah, I know."

They walked through the school and Gaara kept talking. "Why didn't you tell them?"

He shrugged, "I'm not one of them. I'm just a temporary replacement for their real drummer."

"That's never stopped you before."

Naruto shrugged again, "I don't care. Are you hungry like me?"

Gaara looked at him. "You're always hungry…but yes, I am."

"So where do you want to go to eat then?" They walked out the front doors and into the parking lot. They both put on their helmets and straddled the bike.

"I want beef with noodles," Gaara leaned over and put his head on the blonde's shoulder, yelling over the roar of the motorcycle, "Is that alright with you?"

"Ramen…you read my mind." 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Since when does Itachi get home so early?" Shikamaru asked as he pulled into the Uchiha's driveway, once again dropping the raven off back home because of his fear of driving himself.

"I…don't know." Sasuke got out of the car and waved as Nara drove away. He walked up the marble steps to the door. Once inside he kicked off his shoes and set his backpack down next to the couch, "Brother?"

"'Suke?" an older make stepped out of the den, "You're home."

"And so are you." He young raven eyed him.

"Ah, well business was finished early today."

"Hn." Sasuke walked to the kitchen, "Dinner?"

Itachi followed in after him, "Why don't you make me some of you famous tuna and rice?" he suggested.

"Tuna _over_ rice." He corrected.

"Sure." He sat down at the bar that was attached and right behind the stove. Meaning Itachi was able to face and watch Sasuke as he prepared the dish. "So your teacher…Ms. Hejima? Called me earlier."

Sasuke froze as he pulled out a small pan.

"You found a new drummer?"

The raven set the pot on the stove, measured the water and left it to boil. He looked up at Itachi's face, "No. He's not a permanent replacement."

"Kiba-kun can't come back to practice after missing half a year, Sasuke, and you changed one of your songs remember? There's no way Inuzuka can catch up with yo-"

"Just leave it alone."

"But as your manager, I'm trying to help you make the best decisions."

Sasuke grumpily opened the can of tuna, cutting his finger in the process. "Shit," He whispered sticking his hand under the cool water as he continued fixing dinner with his left hand. He poured the can of tuna into another pot then opened a can of Cream of Mushroom soup to mix in as well with the tuna. He set the timer on the steamer to cook the rice as he mixed the grain in with the boiling water as he set the burner to low, so the tuna and soup mixture could slowly heat up.

----------------------------

It was another half an hour until there were able to eat. Sasuke scooped a few spoonfuls of rice onto a plate and topped it off with the tuna and soup mixture. He handed it to his older brother as he made up a plate for himself as well. The younger Uchiha walked around the corner to sit down at the bar on Itachi's right. They ate mostly in silence until they both were about half way through their meal, when one of them spoke,

"You know, little brother-"

"Itachi, I don't want to hear it."

The conversation ended there, neither older nor younger Uchiha saying anything more. Sasuke cleaned the dishes, went to his room, and was relieved that he had finished all his student council duties and homework at school before he came home. He sat down at his computer and logged on. The raven clicked on the instant messenger icon and proceeded to sign in.

_**EmoIcePrince has just signed on**_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Hey Shika_

**LazyAss: **_Sasu, what's up?_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Itachi is being an ass_

**LazyAss: **_Doesn't surprise me_

**EmoIcePrince: **_True_

**LazyAss: **_I don't like him_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Who? Itachi?_

**LazyAss: **_No, Uzumaki… I don't like him._

**EmoIcePrince: **_Lighten' up_

**LazyAss: **_I know, I know. But I'm just not comfortable_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Just give it a little more time_

**LazyAss: **_It's amazing to me how you've fallen head-over-heels for this kid_

**EmoIcePrince: **_What's that supposed to mean!__  
_**LazyAss: **_Nothing, Nevermind_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Hn. I think you're jealous XP_

**LazyAss: **_Jealous? Of the blonde idiot! No way_

**EmoIcePrince: **_Yes you are…_

**EmoIcePrince: **_You just don't want to admit it._

**LazyAss: **_Don't push your luck Uchiha…_

**EmoIcePrince: **_I__don't__need__luck!_

**LazyAss**: _What__a__drag…you're__losing__it_

**LazyAss**: _Every__time __you __say __something __wrong_…

**EmoIcePrince**: _Well __fuck __you __Nara!_

**LazyAss**: _smile __I__know __you __want __to_

**EmoIcePrince**: _…………no __comment_

**LazyAss**: _Hahaha…see __you __this __weekend __Sasu_

**EmoIcePrince**: _Yeah, __see __you __Shika_.

_**LazyAss has just signed off.**_

Sasuke clicked the sign off button as well. It was only around eight but he decided to go to bed anyway. He put his computer on standby and made sure his phone was on vibrate as he set it on the nightstand next to his bed. He crawled in under the warm, dark blue sheets. He clicked off the lamp and closed his eyes.

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**A/N: Yay! Ok, so that was a **_**little **_**boring. But not so much as what I had to do to it. I already had this chapter typed and everything, all ready to go, and then I read the reviews of the first chapter. Oh boy were there some different ideas there! Sasu and Shika **_**are**_** together with the brotherly love champs so don't worry about that anymore. **

**And an FYI about the screen names when they're on the instant messenger: I'm too lazy to create new ones in case they are used by someone else so I just keep the same usernames for all my stories. It saves me time and keeps my head from hurting too much! Hehe**

**Well, tell me what you think this time. Kind of short I know but It'll get better I promise!**

**Later.**


	3. Rejections and Friends

**Aww, how cute**

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update and everything….**

**With spring break and all…and lots of homework from teachers…."**

**My bad.**

**I'm working on updating the other stories too so make sure you check them out sometime too!**

--

The next few weeks were the same for the blonde. Sasuke was still a cold prick every second of every day; Nara still copped an attitude with him; and Gaara couldn't keep out of trouble. In the last two days, Naruto had to bail the red-head out of trips to the principal's office _at least_ three times a day.

It was after school on a Friday and he was walking to the band room when he heard voices coming from inside…

"Man Kiba…it's great to see you."

_Sasuke._

"Yes we're quite pleased."

_Shino._

"Now we can really get back to work."

_Shikamaru._

Naruto's gut fell as he heard them all. Kiba…Inuzuka wasn't it? Their old drummer that got injured by being in the wrong place at the wrong time and had ended up in the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds because of it.

"I'm glad I'm back. It was boring in the hospital bed all day long…"

_That must be Kiba's voice…_

"…And they wouldn't let me so much as _**touch**_ my drumsticks!!"

The blonde took and involuntary step backwards only to run into a warm, taunt chest. His eyes closed and he took a shaky breath as the voice behind him broke the silence.

"Practice is starting. You'll be late."

Naruto was silent.

"Oh come on, Naruto…" An extremely pale hand reached around him and slid the door open. "They won't like you anymore…if…you're….late…" his voice trailed off as he saw the group of boys all crowded around the drum set. He recognized Nara, Uchiha, and Aburame….but who was the male with the spiky brown hair and two upside down red triangles tattooed on his cheeks?

"Sabaku-kun…" Shino blinked.

The red-head nodded to the new kid in the room and glared. "Who's this?"

"The drummer," Nara coldly snapped back.

"Na-"

"Gaara," the blonde quickly cut him off as he gripped the pale wrist and pulled. "Take me to get some ram-"

"Is that the only thing you eat?" Shikamaru asked. "Dried noodles and powered meat? That can't be healthy…"

Naruto didn't say anything or make eye contact, pulling Gaara more forcefully as the red-head started to growl.

The tattooed guy walked away from the group he was in and approached the blonde. "Hey-"

"Kiba we're wasting time!" Nara said impatiently. "We've got less than two months to perfect it!"

The Inuzuka kid looked from the blond to his friend then back to the blonde. "Uh…catch ya later ok?" His hand scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Kiba!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he snapped back at them.

"Whatever," Naruto replied, effectively dragging a stunned Gaara from the room. He dragged him through the school and out to the parking lot. "You drive…" he mumbled as he stuffed on his helmet.

Sabaku nodded as they mounted the bike and sped off to the store.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

It took only fifteen minutes to get from the school parking lot to the parking lot of the mini-restaurant down on Ninth Avenue. Ichiraiku's was the name of the place. A small noodle shop owned by an old man and run by his twenty-seven year old daughter, Ayame. The red-head parked the bike, noticing that on the ride here….Naruto had fallen asleep.

"Naruto." Gaara carefully maneuvered in a half circle to keep the blonde from falling off even though there was a death grip around his waist. "Uzumaki!"

"Hn?" came a sleepy replied from underneath the orange and black swirled helmet.

"C'mon you moron…wake up!"

"S..sasuke?" he moaned.

"No you dolt!" Gaara's rage and anger spiked at being called the raven's name so he pried the blonde's grip from around his waist and let the boy go, landing him in the cold, wet snow. "We're at Ichiraiku's." He paused before he added, "And if you ever call me that again…I _swear_ to the _gods_ I will castrate you!"

Naruto landed with a big THUMP! It was a couple of mere seconds, at least, until he shot up and started dancing around to get rid of the frozen water that had managed to make it down his shirt. "Gah! Cold…cold! Gaara you _ass!_ Cut it out!"

"You look like you're doing a good job all by yourself." He half-heartedly waved and walked inside the store, leaving the blonde to fend for himself. Not like he couldn't. About five more minutes passed by until Naruto joined the red-head at the bar section. Gaara raised his thin red, almost non-existent, eyebrow. "Took you long enough."

"No thanks to you…" the blonde growled and glared as a woman with light brown hair exited the door that led into the kitchen, holding two steamy bowls of soup. "Hi Naruto-kun."

"Hey Ayame."

"Here you go. I know this'll help." She set the two bowls down in front of them; miso for the blonde and a chicken one for the red-head.

"Thanks."

"Sure."

Naruto grabbed a pair of chopsticks that were in the container on a small shelf above the ramen. The pair of chopsticks still bound together, he held them in front of his face, and eyes closed yelled, "Idakimasu!" as he separated the wooden utensils. He immediately dug in while Gaara calmly and slowly ate his hot noodles. "C'mo Gra! Eat op!" the blonde said around a mouthful of noodles.

"I'll take that as _'C'mon Gaara, eat up!'_…" the red-head rolled his eyes. "At least I think that's what you were trying to say."

Naruto just nodded his head.

A loud laughing came from the back. "How're my favorite customers?"

"Warui!" Naruto swallowed the noodles left and answered before he lifted the porcelain bowl to drink the rest of the broth.

"Hai, same," Gaara replied.

A big man, in shape mind you, exited from the back doors of the kitchen with two more bowls for the boys. With both the red-head and the blonde attending his Ramen restaurant since they were practically babies, the owner knew them pretty well. Both boys really loved ramen and Gaara could eat as much as Naruto himself, although Sabaku just took his time to savor…or so he told them. "Here you go." He set down the steaming bowls and took the empty ones left behind.

"How are you old man?" Gaara asked as he stopped a moment to talk while his cousin slurped up the rest of his own ramen.

"Fair." He sat down on the stool on the opposite side of the bar. "Actually, I wanted to ask you two a question."

"Hm?" Naruto stopped in mid swallow, a bunch of noodles hanging out of his mouth.

The red-head smacked him on the back of his head, forcing the blonde to remove the pasta from sight. "A question?"

"Yes," the old man sighed. "I'm growing tired and old. And Ayame is faithful but she also has a life. We want to move the shop-"

"NANI?!" Naruto's eyes widened and he shot up. "ITSU?!"

"Sit down!" Gaara snapped and pulled him back to his seat.

The man smiled. "Don't worry. We're not moving far. Just to the other side of the university on Seventh Avenue."

While the boys' high school was on the outskirts of Konoha, the university was in the middle. It was one of the most respected universities in the entire world. And being one of the most respected places, it was quite big too. Both the red-head and the blonde were hoping to attend next year after they finished up their senior year, hopefully, with Grandma Tsunade's support since they'd both be able to visit and help around the hospital when she needed it.

"What do you need us to do?" Gaara asked before he blew on the still very hot noodles on the end of his chopsticks.

"I'd like your help moving things," he replied.

"When?" Naruto sucked down the rest of the broth in his bowl.

"Wednesday?" The old man turned around. "Ayame! When did you say would be a good time for you to move? I can't remember the time you get out of class!"

A light brown head peeked out from the back. "Yes, father. Wednesday, after class gets out at four."

The man mentally patted himself on the back for remembering as he turned back towards the two youngsters. "Can you help us out?"

"Sure, no problem!" Naruto happily replied.

"What about your band practice, Naruto?"

Naruto froze before he let out a full blown glare at his redheaded cousin, silently telling him, 'I'm going to rip of your balls if you mention one more word about those backstabbing bastards…'

Gaara decided to keep further comments to himself until he was alone with the blonde later. "Right," he said to the man who blinked at Naruto's overly harsh expression. "You want us here around four-thirty then?"

"Sure." The old man laughed. "That'd be great."

"Arigato, old man," Naruto said before he grabbed the back of the red-head's shirt and dragged him, literally, out of the store. He roughly threw him on to the bike and sat in front of him, turning the key and letting the motorcycle roar to life. _'Stupid Gaara…'_ he shoved on his helmet again and sped off back towards home.

--

Naruto and Gaara were putting the books they had taken home for homework back into their shared locker when a masculine voice sounded behind them.

"Hey."

The blonde and the red-head both turned their heads to see the source of the voice. It was that same brunette haired kid with the upside down red triangles tattooed on both of his cheeks. Gaara just leaned against the wall next to their locker and cross his arms while Naruto slowly nodded and replied.

"Hey." He held out his right hand while his left held his books and binder for his first hour class. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Inuzuka Kiba." The brunette grasped it and shook with determination. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

"I saw it coming." The blonde grabbed a piece of gum from his jacket and shut the locker. "I'm not surprised."

Kiba grabbed the tan arm as it started walking away from him. "Really man. I'm not even supposed to be back here yet. You can still—"

Naruto yanked his arm away. "It's fine. You're the original drummer. I was just a fill in."

"Naruto…"

"Have fun at your practices…_Inuzuka__,_" the blonde said before he completely walked away. A few feet later, he and Gaara had to split up, not to see each other until lunch. They said their goodbyes and Naruto turned down the right hallway, to get to his classroom, only to stop at the sight before him. Sasuke was leaning against the outside of the door, arms crossed and a scowl on his face. "Teme?"

Onyx eyes shot open and glared harshly at him. "Where the fuck were you?"

Naruto blinked. "Me? Why do you need me?"

The raven growled at him. "You're supposed to be my _bodyguard__,_ remember? I've been standing out here for a good twenty minutes waiting for you! They won't even let me in the room until you're with me!"

"That's not my problem." Naruto walked past him and moved to open the door.

'_That's what __**you**__ think…'_ Sasuke sneered behind the blonde's back.

As soon as the blonde opened the door all of the girls scrambled from their seats and raced toward the door. Screeching and screaming, trying to shove more notes in his hands. "Ohayou." He smiled at all of them. Numerous girls fainted while the rest just squealed in delight. He lightly laughed at all of their rushed questions, 'Will you go out with me?' or 'Sit by me today Naruto-kun!' The blonde held up his hands quieting them down. "Alright, alright. You got me. I'll sit with you today."

More screams and squeals of joy as a few of the girls grabbed his arms and literally dragged him to sit down in the middle of all of their seats. The raven stared wide eyed at the blonde. What was he thinking? He cautiously slinked against the wall as he slowly moved to the back of the room and sat down. He sighed as another figure plopped down in the seat next to him. "Where have _you_ been?"

"Apologizing."

Sasuke looked at his friend. "To the dobe?"

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "Dobe?"

"Naruto's nickname," the raven explained.

"Don't call me that teme!" Naruto hollered from where he sat then went back to conversing with the girls who giggled and smiled with every word he said.

Kiba blinked. "Didn't know he was a ladies' man."

"Neither did I," Sasuke grumbled.

The rest of the morning went by extremely slowly for the raven. Seeing as he had every single class with the blonde and in each class he sat in the middle of a ring of girls and made them giggle and squeal with every word he said. It was driving the young Uchiha _insane_ with jealousy. All of those girls had Naruto's undivided attention. During the whole morning the blonde hadn't so much as _looked_ his way and that ticked him off. He wanted the blonde to himself but no…the girls got first dibs.

He grumbled as he slammed the locker shut, ignoring Shikamaru's questioning gaze. But he immediately perked up when he saw the blonde cross before his vision and disappear behind a door. The door to the roof. He muttered a 'Meet you later' to the brunette beside him who shrugged and walked off as Sasuke decided to follow the blonde up to the roof. He walked up the stairs but paused outside the door that ultimately led outside. Cracking it open, he caught a sight of the blonde resting his back against the low concrete border that ran around the roof and the redhead standing and smoking a cigarette. He listened to as much as he could without making any noise to give him away…

"You're such an idiot," Gaara told him.

"Since when did you care?" Naruto snapped back as he thrust his hand into the redhead's back pocket and fished out the pack of cigarettes.

The paler man took out the lighter from his front pocket and dropped it down to the blonde as he replied. "Since you keep tempting a forbidden item."

Naruto stuck the cigarette into his mouth and lit it, taking in a deep breath before he handed the contents back to his cousin. "What 'forbidden item'?"

"Uchiha."

The blonde went into a coughing fit. "What makes you think that?!"

Gaara frowned at him. "Do you think _I'm_ stupid? I see those looks you give him."

"What looks?"

"You deny it one more time and I'll knock my ashes into your hair, _Goldie Locks_."

"I don't know what you're tal—Hey, hey, HEY!"

Yup, the redhead did what he had threatened and knocked his cigarette ashes into the blonde's hair. Naruto jumped up shaking his head and running his non-occupied hand through his hair to get rid of the burning flakes. "Not funny asshole." He stood, bent over until he was sure all the ashes were gone.

"I wasn't trying to be." Gaara took a deep breath of his addiction. "Why don't you just throw him into bed and get it over with? I'm tired of your moping around 'cause he kicked you out of his imaginary hobby."

"And get charged with rape?" Naruto snorted, smoke coming out of his nose. "Let me get right on that for you."

The redhead shrugged. "Suit yourself. It's your fault if you lose him to some Barbie doll."

Barbie doll…was the name that Gaara had created for every single girl who wore all those short skimpy mini-skirts and shirts that hung down low to reveal their breasts. It sickened the redhead as much as spinach. He couldn't stand when those sluts walked up to him and batted their eyelashes that were caked with too much mascara and smelled of too many different body sprays. It made them smell even worse than when they didn't have any perfume on at all.

"I'm going to lose _Sasuke_ just as fast as you're going to lose the _Hyuuga_," Naruto commented back.

This time…Gaara choked.

"That's right," Naruto grinned. "I've seen the way you've looked at Neji _and_ the way he's looked back. Don't think that _I_ don't notice these things."

"Then you've seen the way Uchiha looks at you?"

"No," the blonde admitted, "I already know that he's a cocky bastard who doesn't want me around. I'll admire him from a distance."

"You mean by hanging out with the Barbie dolls," the redhead stated.

"Yeah."

Gaara took another puff before he threw his cigarette down on the ground, crushing it underneath his foot. "He's just getting jealous."

"I'll believe you when _he_ tells me that." Naruto closed his eyes as he brought the smoke back up to his mouth.

"Why don't you ask him?" Gaara's eyes instantly shifted to the door. "He's right there."

Naruto eyes snapped open and focused on the door where and onyx eyes turned large as saucers before they disappeared; the door to the roof shut loudly because it was so big. The blonde shot to his feet, the cigarette falling from his mouth to the rooftop as he ran to the door, throwing it open and disappearing down the steps as well. Gaara just smirked and laughed to himself as he crushed the blonde's forgotten cigarette underneath his foot, attention now focused on the passing clouds.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Sasuke!"

The raven heard his name called but he didn't dare stop. Not after what he heard.

"_Sasuke!"_

Oh no…the blonde's voice was getting closer and he wasn't even to the bottom yet! How was Naruto catching up to him so fast??

"Wait! Sasuke!"

The raven had just reached the bottom of the stairs and was close to grabbing the doorknob when he was yanked backwards. He felt back into extremely warm arms before he was spun around and thrust up against the wall. His head slammed back and he closed his eyes in pain for a second before he opened them to crystal clear blue eyes. Sasuke saw all kinds of emotion swirl in those deep pools of blue; confusion, happiness, anger. The raven would almost smirk at being able to cause all of the things cluttering the blonde's mind if he wasn't pinned to the wall.

Naruto's eyes moved back and forth traveling from Sasuke's left eye to his right, trying to figure and straighten his thoughts. "What did you hear?" When there was no answer, the blonde slammed him against the wall again. "Answer me!" he demanded although he already knew…he saw it in the raven's eyes.

"What do you want me to say?!" Sasuke hissed. "_Yes_ I heard _**everything**_?"

"That's a start."

"Let go of me."

The blonde loosened his grip and let the raven touch the floor but didn't completely let go. "Why were you spying on us?"

Sasuke glared. "Go fuck yourself." The Uchiha instantly stiffened when he saw a flash of red in the blonde's eyes and he was once again harshly pinned to the wall.

"_Don't tempt __me,"_ he growled to Sasuke, his mouth hovering just above the raven's, _"Or I might just take you up on that offer…"_

Sasuke licked his suddenly dry lips, "W-what of-offer?"

Naruto's growl went deeper and he was about to retort when the door that led into the school slammed open.

"What the-?" Shikamaru stood in the doorway, Shino and Neji behind him. "What are you doing?"

The blonde glared at the intruding brunette as he carelessly dropped the raven, who straightened himself before he ran from the area. "None of your business."

"I knew you were trouble!" Shikamaru went to grab for Naruto but strong arms held him back. He looked over his shoulder. "Let me go Neji!"

"Calm down, Nara," the Hyuuga said. "And let's go find Sasuke."

Shikamaru yanked himself from the taller male's grip and stormed out of the area as well, muttering curses right and left.

"Uzumaki-kun?" Shino quietly asked.

"What?"

"I hope, for your sake, that you haven't injured the President."

"He's fine," Naruto bit out. His gaze flew to the figure of Gaara lazily walking down the stairs but stopped when he saw the three standing at the bottom.

"Hyuuga?" he asked.

"Sabaku," Neji nodded back.

Naruto looked between the two then sneered back at his cousin. "Why don't you just throw him into bed and get it over with?" and he stormed back to his locker.

Gaara froze as he watched Neji's eyes wide; a crimson blush crept across his own face as he hastily looked away. _'Fucking Naruto…I'll kill him __**myself!!**_**' **The redhead muttered a 'sorry' before he rushed past Neji and Shino, trailing after the blonde. He found him slamming the locker door shut, his jacket on and keys in hand. "Where are you going?"

"Away from all the drama."

"Why don't you just ask Nara why he doesn't like you?" the redhead followed him through the hallways, ignoring all of the girls who wooed from their own lockers since it was near the end of lunch.

"Because I don't care." The blonde slammed open the doors and marched down the sidewalk, Gaara hot on his heels.

"Let me go with yo—"

"No."

Gaara grabbed his arm. "You're too angry. You're going to get yourself into some deep shit if you keep this up."

Naruto glared and yanked his arm back. "I'm going straight home. I still have to fix my bike after what you did."

The redhead's features softened. "I said I was sorry."

"I know," the blonde sighed. "I've got a lot on my mind. See you at home."

And Naruto left his cousin standing in the parking lot as he rode of back towards their house.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The blonde arrived home some three hours later. He pulled into the driveway and drove up to the house but instead of parking out front or in the garage, he drove around back to the little building in the back. Or in other words, Naruto's shop. He stopped in front of the large door and turned off the motorcycle before he walked it inside. Once he had it inside he parked it in the middle of the room before he wandered back over to the door to switch on the lights. He turned back around to fully assess the damage only to be met with a pair of angry teal eyes.

Gaara was lying on the couch, arms folded across his chest with a scowl on his face. "You lied."

Naruto rolled his eyes and threw up his hands in mock surrender. "Guess you caught me dad. I'll do better next time…_not."_

"Where did you go?"

"I went to vent out my anger…"

"Did it work?"

"No."

Gaara sat up. "Who'd you vent on?"

Naruto grinned. "I found Zaku and his gang in the alleyway by the paint shop. Pretty convenient for me."

"If they don't come after _you_ now."

"Nah." He huffed and walked over to the workbench, setting down the can of paint and reaching for a screwdriver to open it. "I think I scared him enough for what he did."

The redhead came over raising a nonexistant eyebrow as he eyed the new can of paint, "You told me—"

"I know what I told you." He wagged the paint covered tool at him, pushing a little too hard to try and open the can effectively immersing it in the orange liquid. "And it was all crusty. I forgot to put the cap on all the way the _last time_ you scratched my bike."

"Hmph." Gaara turned around and went back to the couch and crashed.

"What happened that day anyway? You still haven't told me."

Gaara took a deep breath before he closed his eyes. "I got a phone call on my cell. It was Deidara and Sasori. They called wanting to talk and I told them to fuck off. They threatened to blow the whole school up if I didn't follow directions and they'd know because they said they were right outside. And they were."

"How the hell did they get your number? We changed phones as soon as we left Suna!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I know that," he snapped. "They told me to meet them somewhere and I did."

"Why?!" By this point, the blonde had thrown down his tools and stormed over to the redhead, who was lazily reclining on the couch. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because they said you'd be the first to go."

Naruto was silent.

"The only person I could think about protecting at that point was _you, _moron."

"I don't need to be saved."

"And that's where you're wrong!" Gaara bolted up and latched on to the front of the blonde's shirt. "Where would you be if I hadn't come for you? Would you be here, with me? Or would you still be with them? Better yet!" he yelled. "You'd probably be dead! At least _then_ I could live a life without having to worry about you all the time!"

Naruto's face instantly sobered and he looked away. Gaara had sacrificed so much for him. For what though? What did the redhead have to gain by saving him from their clutches? "I already thanked you!" he screamed, "What more do you want?!"

"You sure don't act like you're thankful." The redhead set him down and flopped back down on the sofa. "Sometimes I just can't understand you."

"Ditto." The blonde laughed. It took another ten minutes to prep the paint and to darken it to his choosing. He would have asked for the direct color but it was a whole ten bucks cheaper by doing it himself. He touched up the two inch scratch and sat back in admiration of his handy work when another scratch caught his attention. _'Dammit Gaara!'_ his mind hissed as he touched that up with the paint as well. _'Oh what the hell…'_ he started to inspect the rest of the motorcycle, glad that he did, because he found three _additional_ marks on his baby. Once he finished up with those, he cleaned all of his supplies, completely putting the cap on the paint this time so it didn't dry out.

He looked over to the couch to see that his redheaded cousin had fallen asleep and a wicked plan came to the blonde's mind. Naruto carefully walked over to the couch to make sure that Gaara was really asleep. Once confirmed, the blonde picked the sleeping body up bridal style and walked out of the shop with him. Naruto walked over to the back of the house where, conveniently, the fifteen foot deep in ground swimming pool was. He had to hold back his laughter as he walked closer and closer to the edge and then finally…he tossed the redhead into the middle of the deep end.

Gaara instantly awakened to the feeling of being immersed into the cold water. His head went under and he swam back up, sputtering and letting out a good string of curses. He quickly swam over to the edge, clinging and coughing up the little bit of liquid that had made its way down into his lungs. Then he looked up at the blonde who was clutching his sides and roaring with laughter. "You think it's funny?!" Gaara made a grab for Naruto but the blonde was smarter than that and had moved backwards out of the pale man's reach. "Get over here Uzumaki!" he yelled.

After a few minutes of non-stop laughter, Naruto wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Ahh." he sighed, "Payback's a bitch isn't it?"

Gaara sent him a glare as he hoisted himself up out of the water. _'Just you __**wait.**_'

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Two weeks flew by. Gaara continued to attend school most days while Naruto skipped most days and went elsewhere. It was after school on Friday and the redhead was putting his books away into his locker when a group of girls crowed up around him. He shut the locker and blinked at all their faces. What did the Barbie Dolls want with him?

"Will you tell us where Naruto-kun is?" one of them asked.

The redhead sighed. Of course.

"Please?"

Gaara moved his hands and to his surprise the sea of girls parted. He walked between them, now making the girls be between himself and the locker. "He's helping out our grandmother for a while."

"Well when will he be back?"

The redhead blinked again. "I don't know."

"Well you live with him!" one girl snapped.

"Doesn't mean I'm his babysitter!" Gaara growled back before he turned on his heel and walked away. He was about to walk out of the building when Neji came up beside him.

"Can we talk?" he asked quietly.

Gaara slightly nodded as he silently followed the Hyuuga into an empty room.

That wasn't so empty.

"Sabaku."

The redhead was actually surprised to see Sasuke, Shino _and_ Shikamaru all in the room as well. Shikamaru was across the room, hands folded across his chest and staring out the window, while Shino was standing casually next to Sasuke, as the raven was sitting on top of a desk arms in his pockets. Gaara raised his eyebrow to Neji. "A conspiracy? You're lacking Inuzuka to make it a real trial."

"Not a conspiracy." The raven stood up and walked over to the redhead, who was a good four inches taller. "Where's Naruto?"

"What do you want with him?" Gaara countered with questions of his own.

"Why hasn't he been here?"

"Why do you _care_?"

Sasuke's glared was cruel as his voice went to barely above a whisper, "Everyone else…_**out**_."

Neji and Shino obeyed and so did Shikamaru…but only with a sigh and a look that the redhead couldn't quite place. Gaara glared right back at the raven before Sasuke sighed and turned around.

"I'm worried," Sasuke admitted. "He hasn't been around for two weeks…"

"Again. Why do you care?" Gaara asked again.

"You've seen the looks I've given him." The raven turned around with a look so desperate in his eyes, Gaara himself felt like holding the younger Uchiha. "I'm in love with him."

The redhead huffed out his disbelief. "It took you two weeks of him _not_ being here to realize that? You're even dumber that Naruto himself."

"I know that!" he snapped back.

Gaara sighed. "He's probably home writing another song that will never be played."

Sasuke gave him a puzzled look.

"You know he plays the drums…"

"Yes."

"And he also plays the guitar…"

"_Yes."_ The raven stressed the word.

"So he writes music in his spare time." Gaara shrugged.

Now Sasuke was the one who gave the disbelieving look. "Music? That's all he's been doing for the past two weeks?"

"No," he admitted. "He's also been helping out at the hospital, building me a car and swimming."

The raven's head spun with all of the new information. Did he really drive away his blonde sex god? He'd been feeling terrible ever since he ran away from him after lunch two weeks ago. And the raven hadn't even asked what had happened after Shikamaru, Neji and Shino appeared either. He figured that Shikamaru had scared the hell out of the blonde and that Sasuke had totally rejected him. It _felt_ like he had rejected Naruto but he hadn't really…and he never wanted to. That boy was one of a kind and Sasuke was determined to have him all to himself.

"And he's been moping around ever since your little…_argument."_ Gaara informed.

"What?" Sasuke looked at the pale man. "Moping?"

"Yes and it's getting quite annoying." The redhead turned around for the door.

Sasuke clung to the man's arm. "Where is he now?"

"I already told you. _Home."_ Gaara shook off the raven's grip, "Go if you want. No one will be home until nine tonight. I'm sure that you two will need some time to fix your problems…" he opened the door only to find Neji Hyuuga leaning, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest, on the opposite wall across the hallway, "Hyuuga?"

Neji's eyes opened and he hesitantly spoke, "I…uh…still need to talk to you…"

"Very well." Gaara grabbed Sasuke and shoved him out the door and dragged in the brunette, "7452 Namikaze Lane. Drive around to the back." And he closed the door leaving a stunned Uchiha standing outside in the middle of a deserted hallway.

--

Sasuke pulled up into the driveway of a _mansion. _Even the house he and his brother lived in wasn't as big as this one! He followed the redhead's instructions and followed the narrowed driveway path that led to the back of the house on the left side. He passed by the back porch and pool area, the half an acre of open area and past the two acre orchard that even passed by the garage and looked like it went on for at least ten acres more! _'Fancy place dobe.'_ Sasuke pulled to a stop and turned off his car. And when he exited his vehicle he was immediately hit with the notes of an electric guitar. But not only that…but the sound of drums as well.

'_Did he prerecord himself?'_ the raven wondered. _'Of course he could…he's got the money for it…'_

As Sasuke walked closer to the door he began to hear people singing as well…

"_**If I stay, it won't be long 'til I'm burning on the inside…"**_

"That doesn't sound too bad…" the raven admitted.

"_**If I go, I can only hope…that I'll make it to the other side…"**_

Sasuke cracked opened the door to see the blonde's back. Wearing a white tank top, it accented his tan skin nicely as his ripped blue jeans fit his butt perfectly. The black guitar strap was wrapped around his shoulders, the back of the neck of the guitar gleaming a shiny black while the blonde's right hand moved up and down with each time he strummed the guitar. Naruto's body swayed, his head bobbed forwards a few times as he complete the song. Or so Sasuke thought was the end.

The music stopped and Naruto leaned forward, looking like he was scribbling on something…probably writing the different notes down. Suddenly a phone rang and the blonde took off his guitar and put it on a stand while he walked over to a work bend and picked up the telephone that was hanging on the wall.

"Yo," Naruto greeted.

Ah…that voice was like heaven to Sasuke. And he hadn't heard it in so long…

"A new car? No." The blonde's voice was confused. "Grandpa, I didn't buy a new car. For me _or_ Gaara. I'm still building his c—"

Obviously the person on the other end of the line cut him off.

"—The only person I know with a Ferrari is Sasuke…" He trailed off before he spoke up again. "Why the hell would _Sasuke_, of all people, be sitting in my driveway?!"

"I'm _not_ sitting in your driveway," Sasuke spoke up and fully walked into the garage. "I'm right _here._"

Naruto spun around, practically dropping the phone pinned between his head and shoulder before he spoke a quick goodbye into the receiver and hung it up. The blonde blinked in confusion before he softly asked, "What are you doing here?"

The raven gave him a 'duh' stare. "I came to see you."

"What for?" he cautiously asked as he slowly walked closer.

Sasuke shifted uneasily. "To apologize."

"You didn't do anything." The blonde was now less than a couple feet from the raven.

"I was eavesdropping on you," Sasuke whispered.

Naruto was now directly in front of the paler man; their bodies less than a half a centimeter within touching each other. Naruto's tan hand came up underneath the raven's chin and forced him to look up into his own blue eyes. "That's the least of my worries right now."

"Why didn't you come back?"

The blonde shrugged. "You didn't need me anymore. Kiba came back and I became useless again."

Sasuke muttered something incoherent.

"What?" Naruto was amused by the Uchiha's sudden bashfulness. "I didn't catch that."

"I said, 'You're not useless'!" he repeated louder, a small blush creeping up on his cheeks.

The blonde laughed his hand moving from the pale chin to cup the left side of the shorter man's face, "You're such an uke."

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat as he heard those words…who else had said that to him? Itachi's friend, Kisame, a guy who had the strangest fetish for fish of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Sure the guy had meant it as a joke but now that Naruto said it and now that Sasuke thought about they were right. Even Shikamaru had told him that he was too soft sometimes toward people and that's why Sasuke started acting like his older brother. The raven might've acted like he liked people but in reality…they bugged the hell out of him.

"Sasuke." Naruto whispered, bending down and resting his forehead against the raven's own.

But Sasuke read what the blonde was going to do so he made the first move this time. The raven wound his arms around the tan neck, pressing his body closer to the taller frame and moved his head so that their lips were crushed against each other. Sasuke relished in the fact that Naruto's lips were as soft as they looked. The kiss lasted a whole two minutes before the raven pulled back, whispering a 'sorry' as he did. What he failed to notice…was the _huge_ grin plastered on the taller man's face and it wasn't until his mouth was taken over by the blonde did he notice the joy and mischief sparkling in those cerulean eyes.

Naruto's hands wrapped around the raven's waist and pulled him closer. Sasuke tasted like _heaven_, he had never experienced a feeling like this before. His eyes went from half open to fully open when a big figure walked into the room and stood in the doorway. He wasn't planning on breaking the kiss but Sasuke did when a loud, 'Ahem' sounded. The raven spun around in the blonde's arms, a blush covering his entire features before Naruto slightly forced the raven behind his back. He nodded. "Grandpa."

The tall man had long white hair pulled back by a band at the base of his neck, the length of it still reached the middle of his back. "Your grandmother called. She says she'll be home a bit later tonight."

"Why? Her shift ends at eight."

"It seems there were a couple complications…in the maternity ward."

Naruto's figure stiffened a bit, "Does she need help?"

The old man smiled. "I think she can hold her own." He nodded to the raven behind his grandson, "And you seem to be busy enough."

"Pervy bastard," Naruto breathed.

Naruto's grandfather shrugged. "If you feel that strongly…call her up. I'm sure that she'd love to have your help again." And he disappeared, walking back up the house.

The blonde turned around at the still profusely blushing raven. "What?"

Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. "H-he just…"

Naruto blinked at him, silently telling him to go on.

"He just walked in on us…" he squeaked out, "_kissing!"_

"So?" Naruto snorted.

The raven put his hands on his hips, "I don't know about you but I don't just go around kissing people all the time."

The blonde's eyes hardened playfully. "You better _not_. I don't think I'd take that very well." He wrapped his arms back around the raven's waist and dragged him closer.

"Wait! What if walks in on us again?"

"He's got more important things to do…" And Naruto dipped his head back down and took possession of Sasuke's mouth once again. But this time he didn't stop at just a simple kiss. He licked the raven's lower lip, making Sasuke gasp from the sudden texture of the warm appendage on his mouth, letting Naruto take his chance to slip in his tongue. At first Naruto only explored a little, at least until he felt the raven respond back, then he went full out and devoured the younger Uchiha's sweet cavern.

Naruto pulled back, pleased that he could make the usually stoic boy flush, and kissed his temple. "Why are you _really _here Sasuke?"

"I already told you," he replied, "I wanted to apologize."

"_And?_"

"And…what?"

"You're such a girl." the blonde pressed, "Just admit it already."

Sasuke gave him a weird look. "Admit _what?"_

Naruto grinned. "Admit that you _like_ me."

The raven had to think about that one for a moment. Sure he had told the redhead that but to tell Naruto to his face? Would the blonde laugh in his face or would the idiot say it back…just to make him feel better? Sasuke let his arms tighten, bringing him ever closer to Naruto and he laid his raven head on the blonde's shoulder whispering to him, _"I __**love**__ you, dobe."_

"I love you too, teme." Hugging the raven closer, Naruto brushed his lips against Sasuke's pale ear, "And I'm not just saying that because you did. I really do. I love you Sasuke."

--

**A/N: Alright…done with this one too!**

**Any questions do hesitate to ask. Just add it in with your review and I'll get back with you!**

**Later.**


	4. Realization and Acceptence

**Well, I can honestly say it's been a while since I've posted anything new. So since I'm on Christmas break and everything I figured I could spare some time to update a few things. =) Thanks to all of those who've reviewed and stuck around waiting for the next chapter. I really appreciate it.**

* * *

"Shika…what are we doing here anyway?"

"I need to pick up some paint for my car." He explained again. "From the scratch _you_ put on it. Remember?"

"I said I was sorry."

"Yeah well 'sorry' just doesn't cut it sometimes, Kiba."

The brunette stuck closer to the older male as they walked down the eerie alleyway. Kiba looked around warily, back and forth, before he turned again to taller male. "Why do you have to get your paint here?"

"Because it's the best paint site; cheap and effective." Shikamaru stopped outside of a large metal door. He knocked on the door three times, waiting patiently for a moment before there was a large clicking sound and the huge door swung back on creaky hinges. The older brunette walked in with Kiba trailing behind him, as he approached the front desk. "Hey old man…do you have my paint yet?"

An old man, clearly in his late sixties, peered through the half-moon shaped glasses that rested on the tip of his nose. "Ah. Nara-kun.

"Hey old man." Shikamaru lifted up his hand in a small wave as he approached the desk, Kiba trailing behind him. "Do you have my paint?"

The man paused in thought for a moment before he softly hit the end of his fist in his other hand, "Ah, yes. Your paint came in the shipment that arrived just this morning." He smiled before he disappeared into the back through a door in the far back left corner. Several more minutes passed by before the old man returned with a half gallon of paint and handed it to Shikamaru/ "There you are Nara-kun."

Shikamaru looked to make sure that it was the right color, _'Forest green…'_ he lifted his head back up. "Thanks again."

Kiba blinked before he moved to the brunette's side as they walked out of the store. "Are you going to pay him?"

"I already paid in advance." He explained. "With _him_, you have to."

"_Him_?" Kiba repeated.

"The old man. It's how he runs his business without getting jipped everything…sheesh Kiba. You should know these things." Shikamaru sighed, "So troublesome."

Kiba pouted and crossed his arms as he once again followed Shikamaru through the various twists and curved of the alleyway. When they walked past one particular alleyway (one they hadn't passed on the way before since Kiba noticed there were lots of people…_lots_) Kiba was about to question the older brunette's sense of direction when a figure down the way turned and yelled at them.

"Well lookie what we've got here boys!"

Kiba gulped as he recognized not only the face of the person but the voice as well.

"Shit." Shikamaru growled as he grabbed Kiba's wrist and pulled him faster, now breaking into a run as they tried to get back to the road where his green Lamborghini was located. A few more left and rights and Shikamaru finally admitted that he was a little lost…

Scratch that.

_Really lost._

'_What a drag.' _Shikamaru chanced a glance behind them to conclude that no one was following them. He sighed in relief until there was a sharp gasp beside him and a death grip on his arm. The brunette looked over to Kiba who was starring ahead of them. Shikamaru twisted his head from Kiba's body to the figures in front of them. He cursed again as they name left like venom from his lips, "_Zaku…"_

"Haha!" Zaku laughed. "Excited to see me Nara? Where's you little raven-haired bitch?"

"Obviously he isn't here." Kiba growled.

Zaku blinked before he squinted to get a better look at Shikamaru and the guy who was next to him. He was, after all, a good fifty feet away. "Inuzuka Kiba? Goddamn. How'd you recover from that gunshot wound?"

"Fast healer…" he mumbled quietly in response.

The annoying boy whistled, "Wow. Kinda makes me sad that you're just going to have to go back to the hospital after this too."

Kiba felt Shikamaru stiffen beside him. "Can it Zaku. I don't want to deal with you right now."

"_You_ stuff it Nara." Zaku cracked his knuckles as he took a few steps closer to the pair, nodding his head a little to the left.

Shikamaru's eyes widened before his body whipped around to see five more thugs coming at them from behind, them a lot closer than Zaku and the group that was with him. The brunette growled as one thug charged, and Shikamaru sent him sprawling to the ground, while in the meantime, the other four thugs had captured his friend. "Kiba!" Shikamaru moved to go help his friend but a blow to his back sent him to the cold alleyway ground.

The air knocked out of him, Kiba slid slowly to the ground against the alley wall, his lip and right cheekbone already red and swelling from the punch of one of the thugs. _'S-Shikamaru…'_

Zaku slammed his elbow into the middle of Shikamaru's back as the boy tried to get up from the ground. "You see Nara…if you cooperate..." Zaku nodded to one of the thugs again who nodded back. "Then Inuzuka there will be fit as a fiddle."

"And if I don't?" Shikamaru spat.

Zaku only had to look at the thug he nodded to before. The thug kicked Kiba in his right side, effectively sending the boy to lay on his side on the cold ground as well.

"Like I said," Zaku bent down and threaded his fingers into Shikamaru's ponytail, "He'll be fine as long as you do what _I _say."

Shikamaru grunted and shut his eyes from the pain of his hair being practically ripped out of his head before he whispered a small 'Ok'.

"Shika, no!" Kiba coughed.

Another thug kicked him under his chin, making his head snap back.

"I said **OK**!" Shikamaru screamed out desperately. "Stop **hitting** him!"

Zaku smirked before he nodded to the thugs that had followed him to cut off Shikamaru and Kiba from making their escape too soon. The four of them each grabbed one of Shikamaru's limbs and carried him, like a sacrifice to a god, back to their main alleyway. The five other thugs surrounded Kiba and shoved him along to follow as well, purposely tripping him to make him stumble, and laughing at him when he hit the ground a few times.

Once back to their main alley, Zaku grinned at Dosu and Kin who starred in disbelief that their brother had caught the Treasurer and his friend so easily. Zaku turned back to the thugs who were carrying Shikamaru. "Against the wall." He pointed.

The thugs slammed the brunette against the wall, his head making an uncomfortable crack, and tied him to the metal loops that were drilled into the wall. Each giving him a small whack before walking away smirking.

"Tie up Inuzuka and make sure he watches." Zaku walked over to stand in front of the bound brunette and wondered aloud what to do with him. "Should I beat you, and then rape you? Or rape you, then beat you?" he tapped his chin in fake thought.

"Do it at the same time." Dosu said as he sat, perched like a monkey upon a few solid wooden boxes.

"No I have a better idea," Zaku said. "Remember Nara…for every time you don't listen…Kiba there gets a whack himself." He smirked. "I'm going to do Inuzuka first…"

Shikamaru's gut clenched in disgust as Zaku's clammy hand traced along his jaw line and his eyes widened in disbelief as the information hit. Zaku wasn't planning on touching _him_…he was planning on rapping _Kiba._ "No! Don't touch him!"

Zaku only laughed mockingly. "There's my reason. You're too attached to the kid."

"He's my friend." Shikamaru growled.

The thug leader only snorted his disapproval before he turned to the tied up boy on the ground. "Switch him with Nara. I want some fun first."

They hauled Kiba up by his shirt, but everyone stopped when a blue razor cell phone dropped to the ground.

Zaku's eyes widened before he stalked over to the small brunette and slapped him across his face so hard; there was a small cut right next to his temple. "Who did you call?"

Kiba didn't say anything.

Zaku hit him again. "Who?!"

Kiba spat blood at him. "No one."

"Th—"

"I _texted_."

Zaku glared.

"Sasuke."

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Naruto was lying on the couch, his arms around the waist of the raven, who was continently sleeping on top of him. They had completed a major making out session about a half hour ago to which the both of them fell to the couch and cuddled together. Who would've thought that the stoic, prick-of-a-guy Uchiha Sasuke would be such a touchy feely guy? The tan hands were absentmindedly rubbing small circles on the small of the raven's back.

Sasuke's arm drew closer together around the blonde's neck, bringing his body ever closer to the tan one. His face was buried in the crook of Naruto's neck and he took a deep breath before he let it all out, the air blowing across and tickling the hairs on the tan piece of flesh. Naruto had just closed his eyes, intent on getting some sleep like the raven on top of him when a cell phone started ringing. The blonde knew it wasn't his because his cell phone was on silent.

The blonde turned his head to look at the small coffee table that was just in front of the couch, his mouth and chin rubbing on top of Sasuke's black head of hair, to see a brand new black Chocolate Flip phone ringing on the table. Naruto lazily reached his left arm over and grabbed the phone, flipping it open in the process to stop the loud ringer. _'Kiba?'_ he read the flashing screen occupied by a flying envelope and Kiba's name in all caps. He pushed the 'ok' button to open the text,

_**Alley…Nara…Me…**_

_**Beat…Rape…**_

But the word that stood out the most to the blonde:

_**Zaku…**_

Naruto had to read it three times before the light bulb over his head clicked on. "Sasuke! Sasuke, get up!" he sat up, flinging the raven up as well, "C'mon Sasuke we gotta go!"

"Mm." the raven rubbed his eyes, "What now dobe?"

The blonde handed the raven his black, open cell phone, as he sprung up from the couch snatching his own phone from the workbench and speed-dialing, "Gaara. Come down to Sasuke's car. NOW."

Sasuke blinked as the bright light of his cell phone temporarily blinded him. Then his breath hitched and a hand went to his throat as he read over Kiba's message again, "Zaku?!"

"Where are your keys?" Naruto held out his hand as he prompted the raven up and to follow the blonde outside.

"H-here." Sasuke dug them out of his pocket and gave them to Naruto.

"Gaara! Grab the bike and follow us!" the blonde yelled as the redhead came running out of the back door to the house.

Gaara only nodded and straddle the bike, the key already in the ignition.

"N-Naruto…" Sasuke couldn't form any other words. He didn't really grasp the situation either.

The blonde shifted into gears and tore out of his driveway. Once at a comfortable speed he could still maneuver with, Naruto's hand left the shifter and grasped Sasuke's pale, clenched one. "We'll get to them."

Dark onyx eyes, fill with worry and concern, turned to look into light blue ones searching for…_something._

"I promise." Naruto encouraged, his eyes still on the road ahead of them but his hand still holding Sasuke's.

The raven sighed and relaxed a little; comforted by the blonde's words.

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Kiba's eyes clenched and his head whipped to the side every time the crack of the whip could be heard. The sound of those thin pieces of leather running over flesh made his stomach twist in a thousand knots. The only sound that could be heard were the grunts after the whip marred the flesh and the occasionally whoops and hollers of the gang members edging Zaku on more.

"Hah…" Zaku took a step back to admire his handy work. "Isn't it exhilarating?"

No answer.

"C'mon. You have to agree with me." He stepped back closer. "Right…_Nara_?"

Kiba swallowed as Zaku once again raised the whip in his right hand. "Stop it! Don't touch him anymore!"

Zaku paused and turned to face the boy on the ground. Walking over to Kiba, Zaku put his hand underneath the younger boy's chin and forced his gaze up. "You have no respect for you elders kid." And he slapped him across his cheek, sending him to his side to sprawl out on the ground.

Kiba squeezed his eyes shut again as his teeth bit down on his tongue from the impact. He could already feel the blood seeping out.

"I think I'm ready for the main course." Zaku went to reach for Kiba but the sound of a fast approaching engine cut him short. He stood back up to listen. "Who's got their cycle out? I thought I told them to not give this place away!"

The thugs around who were also stopping to listen froze in their spots. And like little soldier ants, they all tried counting themselves at the same time.

Zaku sighed. "You're a bunch of idiots…_dead weights_…why do I even keep you around?!"

"Zaku!"

Said boy turned to see glaring headlights, steadily growing bigger as they neared the gang. A shadowy figure on the bike raised something that glinted and then Zaku saw three of his gang members get whacked to the ground. "Hey! What the hell is going on?! Who is that??"

The headlight spun in a three hundred and sixty degree circle before the engine revved again.

Two more headlights, where the first one came from, stopped and two more figures stepped out. "I kicked your ass two weeks ago…and so help me I'll do it _**again**_!"

"Uzumaki?!" Zaku's face fell.

The tall, tan blonde shut the car door and stalked over to the frozen boy. His cerulean blue eyes misted with anger and hate, he examined the area. Zaku stood as still as a statue, a black leather whip in his hand; Kiba was tied up and lying, sprawled on the ground between the thugs Gaara had hit while on the bike; and Shikamaru was shackled upright, every piece of clothing discarded except for his silky green boxers, which even those were tattered now. His eyes flashed an angry red color for a minute before he turned his attention back to the thug leader before him. "Didn't know you wanted to die so badly…"

Zaku's body took and involuntary step backwards as he saw the emotion swimming in the blonde's eyes, before his hand re-gripped the whip and he lashed out. "You don't scare me!"

Naruto held his arm out and grabbed a hold of the leather strings as they licked around his skin. "I think I do." he gave the whip a sharp tugged, forcing Zaku to stumble forward. "Remember last time?" The blonde pulled his fist back and released, hitting the gang leader in his nose and sending him flying backwards. "That's only the beginning."

"Naruto," Sasuke came up beside him.

"Get Kiba and get back into the car."

"But—" the raven pleaded.

"Do as I say, Sasuke!"

Sasuke flinched then obeyed. He went over to his fallen friend, untied him and helped him limp back to the car. "…Thanks." Kiba groaned once he was sitting in the backseat.

The raven shook his head. "Don't thank me."

Kiba raised an eyebrow in a questioning look.

"Naruto was the one who got the message."

"Na...ru…to?"

Sasuke blushed a little. "I was asleep."

The brunette blinked. "Where? How'd Naruto know? Were you with him or something?"

The raven's blush reddened a little and he looked away. "You could say something like that…"

Kiba peered closer to his friend. "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt your make-up sex?"

"NO!" Sasuke practically yelled as his whole face flushed from embarrassment.

"I did…didn't I?"

A tick on the raven's temple further put and end to Kiba's useless ranting. "Holy—Look at Naruto!" he pointed between the front two seats.

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Naruto was standing just in front of the unconscious brunette pinned up to the brick wall. The blonde examined the shackles before he put his tan hand on the chain and gave it a few experimental tugs. _'Won't budge…hm…'_ Naruto looked over to Gaara to make sure that he was still in one piece, and sure enough the redhead was fine. It even looked like he was having fun. Turning his attention back to the problem at hand, his grip tightened around the rusting metal chains, Naruto gave it another tug; sharper and harder than the last. The metal plate came out of the wall, the bolts breaking in place, with a small creaking then a sickening snapping sound. The blonde yanked out the other metal plate and caught the brunette as he fell.

Kiba scrambled across the back seat as he shoved open the door for the blonde. "Shika?" Kiba crawled back to rest against the opposite door as Naruto laid the unconscious brunette across the seat to set Shikamaru's upper body on Kiba's.

"Keep him as still as possible. Understand?" Naruto shut the back door and in turn, opened the driver's side door. "Gaara. Let's go." Then he slid into the seat, shut his door, and shifted into reverse. He maneuvered the sleek Ferrari with ease as he back out of the alleyway and back into the street. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he noted that the redhead had followed his instructions and had also exited the alley. Taking a few turns and another fifteen minute ride, Naruto pulled up outside of the Hospital emergency entrance.

Naruto exited the car from his seat and proceeded to carry Shikamaru inside, Kiba and Sasuke on his heels. The blonde laid the brunette a bed in the hallway and stepped up to the front desk. "Excuse me."

A pink-haired girl turned around and gasped in surprise. "Naruto-kun!"

"Ah." The blonde gave her a light smile. "Sakura-chan. Could you call my grandmother for me? I'm in a bit of a hard spot."

The nurse scowled at him. "Did you fight those goons again?"

Throwing an arm behind his head, he nervously rubbed it. "It's a longer story than that…but related."

"I don't know how she lives with you…" she walked over to the desk and pushed a grey button labeled 'Sanin Tsunade'. "There you go. I don't know if she'll answer right away. She was scheduled for an appendectomy a few hours ago."

"It's taken her that long?"

Sakura smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid so."

Naruto thought for a moment. "Maa, Sakura-chan. Is there an empty room open?"

"Hm?" she blinked, and then clicked through various folders on the computer screen. "CL6 is open if you want. Although please don't stay long. I don't know how long I can keep other people out of it."

"Book that room completely for Nara Shikamaru."

"What?" she asked.

"I need that room occupied for him only."

She looked down at the charts on the screen again. "A-alright. But I'm afraid it may not be permanent."

"You paged my grandmother." Naruto smiled and leaned over the counter closer to her. "Just send her up, would you?"

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. "Y-yes sir."

"Arigatou."

"Idaki mastu."

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The blonde once again carried the unconscious brunette up to the hospital room. He stole occasional glances behind him to make sure that Sasuke and Shikamaru were still following, Gaara staying behind at the front desk to wait for their grandmother just in case Sakura had to step out from behind the desk.

"What's 'CL6'?" Kiba quietly asked. "I mean…where is it?"

Naruto laughed to himself. "The 'C' stands for Third, seeing as it's the third letter of the alphabet; The 'L' stands for left; and '6' is the room number." He stepped out of the elevator doors and continued down the hallway, taking an immediate left and coming to another stop in front of room 6.

It was another twenty minutes before the door to the hospital room opened again and a redhead walked in with an older blonde haired woman. "If I have to stitch up one more part of your body, Uzumaki Naruto… I won't d—" she pulled back the curtain that shielded the bed from the door. There was a brunette sleeping on the bed under a sheet, another brunette sitting in a chair with his head in his hands before his attention snapped to hers, a raven standing silently in the corner, and the blonde sprawled out on the bed across the room from the two brunette. "What's going on here? This isn't a lounge for you! This is a hospital!" she sternly reminded them. "_My_ hospital!"

The blonde on the bed sat up. "I _know_ that grandma. You've told me a thousand times already."

"Then why is he sleeping? Under the sheets no less?!"

Naruto laid back down and put his hands underneath his head to prop himself up. "Take a look for yourself."

"What?"

"Look under the sheet, you old hag."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and stormed over to the sleeping brunette underneath the blanket and threw it back; her eyes widening in horror before she had barely enough time to muffle her scream.

Kiba's face fell as he turned and glared at Naruto. "I thought you said she was a doctor?!"

"She is."

"Then why the hell is she yelling like that! She'd have a—"

Tsunade took a couple deep breaths before she threw her own glare at the smaller brunette. "I am, young man, the best doctor here in Konoha—"

"The world." Naruto corrected.

"—and if you want him," she pointed to Shikamaru. "Fixed up to the way he used to be. You've come to the right place."

Kiba instantly sobered and quieted back down.

"But," Tsunade stated. "I have to go back to the appendectomy. It seems that not only the appendix has ruptured…but the walls of the womb as well."

Naruto's body snapped up. "What?! Why did you tell me Ino was the one in surgery?!"

"I didn't know you were here." Tsunade calmly stated as she went over to a cupboard and started rummaging around.

"Why didn't _Sakura_ tell me?!"

"I ordered her not to."

"Grandma!"

Tsunade pulled back out of the cupboard with a medical supply of needles and thread, bandages, gauze and ointment. "You've done too much for them already. They already owe you enough, so don't go getting Sakura all worked up about it. She's just as worried about Ino as you are…if not more."

Naruto pouted as he slid off the bed. "You know I'm just concerned." He walked near the door and pulled out a tray on wheels over to the bedside, so the blonde-haired woman could set the contents in her arms down.

"Thanks." She once again peeled back the sheet to Shikamaru's waist, shaking her head in disapproval. "What exactly happened?"

Everyone looked at Kiba, who sat in his chair twiddling his thumbs. "Well…uh…"

"Kiba." Sasuke walked over and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulders.

The brunette took a deep breath. "I went with Shikamaru to get some new paint for his car because I kinda scratched it pulling into the parking lot…on our way out, Zaku saw us…and…well, you know…"

"Naruto…" Tsunade said as she examined Shikamaru's wounds. "Can you take care of these? There are a few major ones…but nothing too serious that I can tell by."

'_You should see his back…'_ Gaara commented to himself as he stood in the corner, arms crossed across his chest.

"No problem. Go back to Ino." Naruto took her place at the side of the bed and motioned to his redheaded cousin. "You can help too y'know."

"I'm fine."

Tsunade flicked Gaara's forehead on the way out. "Go help. It'll get done faster."

Gaara scowled before he trudged over and sat himself down on the other side of the bed, grumbling the whole way. _'I'm not here to stitch up this asshole…'_

"Do you know what you're doing??" Kiba asked, shocked that the doctor left the blonde and the redhead alone to stitch up his friend.

Naruto glanced at him. "Done this a million times, Kiba—"

"So sit down and shut up." Gaara grunted as he began to sew up a gaping wound.

"C'mon," the raven walked over to Kiba, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the room. "Let's go get something to eat."

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His head hurt. No. Scratch that. His whole _body_ hurt. He tried moving his arms with a lot of effort as his mind replayed the last thing he remembered. He went to get paint to fix the mark on his car; Zaku somehow got a hold of him and chained him to the wall; he was whipped, _'That sounded too kinky…'_ and Kiba was crying…then there were these bright blue eyes tinged with red, it seemed, that starred at him intently. He must've passed out after that.

Wait a second…

"Kiba?!" Shikamaru's body shot up from the bed, eyes wide, before he grasped his stomach and doubled over in a tremendous amount of pain.

"Whoa! Shika lay back down before all of your stitches tear out!"

There was a shaky hand slightly pressing on his chest. He cracked an eye open, he was in a room loaded with different sized machines, white beds and walls, and four pairs of eyes staring at him intently; including bright blue ones. "YOU?!"

Naruto lay, again, on the other bed with is arms behind his head. The blonde just stared without saying anything.

"The hell…" Shikamaru groaned as Kiba's hand pushed him gently back down to the bed. When the smaller brunette sighed in relief, Shikamaru grasped the hand pulling away. "Are you alright?"

Kiba blinked. "How can you ask _me_ that?! You haven't seen _yourself_ yet!"

"I'm fine." He grunted out, his eyes roaming up and down the smaller boy's body.

The smaller brunette blushed. "Stop starring at me."

Shikamaru let out a huff before he turned his attention back to the blonde across the room and the sleeping raven curled up against him. _'Sasuke…'_ The raven laid, sprawled out the whole length of the blonde's left side, right arm underneath his pale body while the left was thrown over the blonde's chest. Shikamaru watched as Sasuke's head twisted more into Naruto's neck as he let out a sigh.

"How much longer is she going to be Naruto?" Kiba asked.

"Give her about ten more minutes. She's had a long night."

Shikamaru watched as the blonde's expression went from blank to kind as Naruto turned his attention from him to Kiba. "Why did you save me? How did you know?" Shikamaru demanded.

"I looked at Sasuke's phone." Naruto softly replied.

"You looked through his phone?!" Shikamaru yelled. "That's none of your business!"

"He _is_ my business."

"The hell he is!"

"Everything about him is my business. Remember you were the one to 'hire' me to watch him?" Naruto felt Sasuke's hand fist in his shirt lightly, but not enough for Shikamaru to noticed.

"Why was Sasuke with you anyway?"

"Tha—"

"I was having my way with him…" Sasuke mumbled. "Or _trying_ to."

Shikamaru gapped.

Sasuke proceeded to show his friend exactly what he meant by hoisting himself up to lay across the blonde's body. The raven laced his fingers in the golden locks before he fused their mouths together in a hot kiss. He felt Naruto lick at his bottom lip and he gladly opened up his mouth, sucking on the other's tongue when it moved in to explore Sasuke's hot cavern. Once he felt out of breath the raven pulled back, satisfied by Naruto's flushed face and the string of saliva that still connected the two.

There was a soft chuckling coming from the door. "Looks like I win Nara."

"Neji?!" Kiba piped.

The pupil-less man nodded as he stepped more into the room. "I came as soon as I got the call…"

Everyone paused. _The call?_

"Sabaku-kun called me." He explained as he stopped near Shikamaru's bed, peering up and down at him with a raised eyebrow.

Shikamaru huffed and looked away. "Don't look at me like that."

"Hn."

Just then, the door opened again to reveal the redhead.

"Gaara?" Naruto asked quietly, moving to a sitting position, as he regarded his cousins devastated expression. "What's wrong?"

The redhead bit his lip before he mumbled.

"I can't hear you." Naruto pressed on.

"They couldn't save her." He spoke louder and looked away.

The blonde's eyes widened.

No answer.

"Which one?!" Naruto demanded.

"Ino—"

Gaara didn't get a chance to finish as the blonde slipped from the bed and ran through the doorway, racing down the hallways towards the staircase. The redhead's head fell as he sighed and closed the door softly on his retreat.

"Gaara, wait!" Sasuke called as he too left the bed and walked to the doorway.

"Sasuke."

There was a restraining hand on the raven's shoulder.

Neji looked at him with confused eyes as well. "Did you see the way he left? That girl must've been important to him. Just let him be for a while. It's none of your business."

Sasuke jerked out of the other male's grip. "Everything Naruto does _is_ my business." He hissed. "_Everything._"

* * *

**That's it for this chapter, I'm editing the other one at the moment so hopefully I can post that one at the end of the week sometime. **

**Please don't forget to R&R (It helps us authors and also gives us a little bit of hope to stick into our confidence meters)**

**Ja ne! **


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